Closing your childcare center is not a decision to be made lightly. To reach this point, I’m sure you thought a lot about the safety of your children (and your own). Or perhaps there’s a new government regulation in your area, and you didn’t really have a choice in the matter.
Either way, the decision has been made, and now it’s time to communicate that to the parents. Hopefully you have been communicating this possibility to the parents already, so this won’t come as a surprise. Even if you haven’t, they have been watching the news and know that this would be a possibility.
The closure might be mandatory, but it can still be hard to find the right words to share that decision to the parents. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Be personal and use the parents’ and children’s names if that is doable.
- Be specific and don’t leave the parents guessing what you really mean.
- Acknowledge the impact that that decision is going to have on parents.
- Include answers to important questions parents may have (last day of operations, payments, how you will stay in touch).
- Communicate clearly if you need the parents to act on anything specific (e.g. pick up their strollers by a specific date).
- Most important of all, keep the channels of communication open!
Here is an example of a letter you might share with your parents. Feel free to modify it to better suit your specific situation.
Daycare Closure Letter Template
Dear [Parent’s Name],
I am writing to inform you that we have made the difficult decision to temporarily close our childcare facility. We have been closely following the advice of public health authorities, and the time has come for us to take this step. Our last day of operation will be [Date].
I understand that this decision will have a big impact in your daily routine. I would like you to know that I am committed to the well-being and learning of your child – and will forward you resources to continue his learning while at home.
We truly hope we will be able to return our operations as soon as possible. We will keep you informed about any updates we might have, through the phone, email, or the HiMama app.
In the meantime, please feel free to send me updates about how [child] is doing. I would love to know about any important milestones, or how much he is enjoying the activities I’ve shared. I truly hope we will be able to receive him back at our center as soon as possible.
Kind regards,
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Thank for sharing as I have closed my office due to Covid 19 and want to inform my employees